Conductor clamp



Nov. l, 1938. F. G. BovARD 2,135,320'

CONDUCTOR CLAMP Filed Nov. 1l, 1936 Fus /N VEA/TOR /F/m/aj G oVaf-d @www I A TTURNEY Patented Nov. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES CONDUCTOR CLAMP Floyd G. vBavard, Akron, Ohio, assignor `to The v Ohio Brass Company, Mansfield, Ohio, a corporation oi.' New Jersey Application November 11, 1936, Serial No. 110,308

s claims.

This invention relates to devices for holding the ends of hollow conductors such as are used for high potential electrical transmission lines. and has for one of its objects the provision of simple and eii'cient gripping mechanism for holding the end of a conductor without injury and without danger of the conductor slipping or becoming released.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the class named which shall be simple in its construction, economical to manufacture, easy to install, and which shall be of improved construction and operation.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description.

The invention is, exemplified by the combination and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawing and described in the following speciiication, and it is more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing: I

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a conductor joint showing one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an elevation, partly in section, showing the application of the invention to a dead end clamp.

Fig. 5 is an elevation looking from the right in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing a somewhat modied form of the invention.

Fig. 7 is an elevation looking from the right in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, the numerals Ill and II represent the adjacent ends of a Vconductor to be joined together. 'I'he joint for connecting the two ends comprises a hollow body member I2 having end sections I3 and I4 thread# ed-onto the opposite ends thereof, each end section having a tapered opening therein. Disposed within each end section is a wedge member i5 having its outer surface tapered to t the inner surface of the end member and each wedge member having a cylindrical opening for rea ceiving the respective conductor ends iii and Il. The wedge members have slots extending inward- 1y from opposite ends, the slots from the opposite ends being arranged in staggered relation so that the entire member may be compressed when wedged into the conical end member.

The conductor I0, as shown in Fig. 2, is formed of helical sections or strips, the strips being of the conductor i0. The plugs IS are provided 10 at their inner` ends with heads il' which are arranged to slide within the opening in the body member I2. The plugs IS are also provided with keys i8 which extend into the slots in the wedging members I5 and whichl also project into longitudinal slots I9 in the body member I2. Packing cups 20 are disposed at the inner` sides of each of the heads i'l to prevent the escape of a pressure medium within the body member i2. These packing cups may be made of leather, 20 rubber or other suitable packing material. The body member I2 is perforated, as shown at 2|, and is provided with a valve 22 through which a pressure medium, such as grease. oil or other fluid'or semi-fluid material, may be forced into g5 the opening in the body member to move the packing members 20 and the heads I1 outwardly andto hold them in their outer positions. In the appended claims the term hydraulic will be used to include any suitable liquid or par- 30 tially liquid pressure medium.

In assembling the device tok secure the conductor ends i0 and II together, the end members i3 and i4 are slipped over the cable ends I 0 and il respectively and the conical wedges are 35 slipped into the openings in the end members surrounding the conductors. The plugs I6 are threaded into the ends of the conductors and the parts thus assembled on theconductor ends are then brought into engagement with the respective ends of the body member I2, the packing cups 20 being first moved inwardly to their innermost positions. This will permit the conductor ends and the wedging members I5 to be end members I3 and i4 so that they may be screwed home on the body member` I2. The keys i8 will now be in engagement with the slots in the Wedges I5 and .with the grooves IS inthe body member. A suitable pressure gun is now 50 connected with the valve 22 and a pressure medium injected into the opening in the body member. This Will force the packing cups 20 and theheads il outwardly, the heads I'I engaging the inner ends of the wedge members I 5 and 55 moved inwardly a suiiicient distance to clear the 45` forcing them tightly into the tapered openings in the end members I3 and il. This will compress the wedge members i5 against the walls of the conductor ends I0 and Hand firmly grip the walls of the conductor between the wedge members Ilv and the pins it. Any desired preszoy sure for gripping the .conductor ends may be secured by regulating-the pressure of the me dium within the body member i2. Ihe interlitting helical formation on the surfaces of the pins I6 and the innerwalls of the conductors will assist in holding the conductors in place since the pins are held from rotation and the.

conductors would consequently have to be rotated to be withdrawn from the clamp.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs.

'4 and 5, the gripping mechanism furthe conductor end is similar to that described in connection with Fig. l but in this gure, a single end construction is shown instead of a double connecter, as in Fig. l'. In Fig. 4 the body member :s is provided et one end with an attiendisc..Th eouter end of the pin 28 isbored to receive the end of a bundle of bars or rods It which are twisted together and secured, as shown -in broken lines at Il, within the opening in the end of the pin 2l. The rods 2 0 are somewhat resilient and spring outwardly so as to engage the inner surface of the. conductor Il. These rods extend within the conductor some distance 'away from'the clamp and Aserve to reinforce the conductor adjacent the end of the clamp and pref. vent fatigue due to vibration. A short lengthiif'l stranded cable may be used for this purpose' In the form shown in Fig. 6, the tapered-and cylindrical portions of the body memberarefmade in one piece andaremovable 'plug 3i lsthreaded into the rear end ofthe body membertopermit the wedging be assembled. When the parts are in place, 8i may belscrewed into the threaded opening inthe rearend of the body member'and locked in placeby a locking screw I2. Agexible Jumper Itis clamped to the body memberliby al U-bolt' ad a keeper piece 3l.v

1. Means foi-gripping a hollow cable composed of a multiplicity' of' helically wound strands disposedV side by side and constituting .the wall of a hollow cylinder, said strands forming helical threads on the inner surface of said cable and being disposed at a lsufliciently steep pitch that the dominant portion of the longitudinal stress of said cable is exerted longitudinally of said strands, said gripping means comprising a-core member in immediate contact with said strands and having its' outer surface threaded to fit the threads on the inner surfaceof said cable and means for clamping said cable on said core mem*- ber'.v

2. Means for gripping ,a hollow cable composed' of a multiplicity of helically wound strands disposed side by side to form the walls of a hollow cylinder, the strands having a sufiicien'tly steep pitch to receive longitudinally thereof the dominant portion of the longitudinal stress on said i cable, the contour of the individual strands forming threads on the inner surface of saidy cable, said gripping means comprising a core member threaded to fit the threads in said cable, a wedge member engaging the outer surface of said cable about said core member,jand a tapered socket y member engaging said wedge member.

3. A cable holder comprising an electrical connector having a hollow-body with a tapered socket at one end thereof for receiving said cable, a compressible conical wedge su'ounding said cable in`\ said socket, a core member disposed within said ioy cable, and hydraulic pressure means for pressl` ing said core member,- cable and. wedge into said tapered socket toV compress said -wedge on said cable and grip the -wall of said cable between said wedge and said core member..

, 4. A cable holder comprising an electrical con-` nector having a hollow body with a tapered socket at lone end thereof for receiving a hollow cable. a wedge member disposed in said socket v about said cable, a core member' disposed in said cable within seid wedge member, e piston in endlbedy member having bearing connection y with vsaid wedge member, and meansforg introducing a hydraulic pressure transmission medium under pressure into 'said body member to movesaid `pis' ton andV force said wedge member into said taperedsocket.

5. A cable holder comprising a body member having a tapered socket for receiving ahollowcable having helical grooves in the inner surface/1 thereof, a core member disposed in -said ca ble and having its louter surface shaped to 'conform to the .inner'surface of said cable, a wedge mem;- ber disposed in said socket forvengaging the outer surface of said cable, meansV for forcing said wedge member intosaid socket, and means for preventing rotation of said core member relative to said body member. 6. Acable holder comprising a hollow body` member having atapered socket at one end thereof for receiving a hollow cable formed with tion ofv said core member and-wedge member relative to said body member.

7. 'I'he combination with a hollow conductor, of a support therefor, and a resilient insert arranged in said conductor adjacent-said support for counteracting theeects of vibration on said conductor said insert \comprising a multiplicity of elongated members secured at one end t'o said support, and resiliently spread outwardly agains the inner surface 'of said conductor.

8. The combination with a hollow conductor, of a support for said conductor comprising a core 'disposed within said conductor, and means for gripping the wall of said conductor againstl said. core, and a resilient reinforcement within said conductor and connected'@ forv offsetting the effects of vibration orti conductor at its point of support said reinfr rw l u ment comprising a short length of stranded cable-.'-A connected at one end to said core, the said cable being resiliently spread into with the interior of said conductor.

FLOYD G. BOVARD. ,y 

